Rehearsals
by Madame Weasley
Summary: As the Fall Musical draws near, everyone at East High School starts losing it. Between rehearsals, casting problems, cheating and jealousy, Kelsi is normally the only one who survives it all. But this time, things might be different for her. People start noticing her, and there may be some blond boy who wants her help and changes it all. Discover the catastrophe behind the musical!
1. Prologue: Latest Musicals

**East High School Latest Musicals**

**2004 – Fall Musical: "Dog Days"**

Lead roles: Sharpay Evans, Ryan Evans

Music by E. Norbert and K. Nielsen

**2005 – Winter Musical: "The Playroom"**

Lead roles: Sharpay Evans, Ryan Evans, Mike Lawrence

Music by K. Nielsen

**2005 – Spring Musical: "Jazz Bar"**

Lead roles: Sharpay Evans, Ryan Evans, Mike Lawrence

Music by K. Nielsen

**2006 – Winter Musical: "Twinkle Towne"**

Lead roles: Gabriella Montez, Troy Bolton

Music by K. Nielsen

**2006 – Fall Musical: "Mr. and Ms. Mouse"**

Lead roles: TO BE ANNOUNCED! _Auditions open until September 25th_

Music by K. Nielsen


	2. Just the piano girl

**Chapter one: Just the piano girl**

"As we all know," said Ms. Darbus, "the Fall Musical is an extremely important event for everybody at East High." She climbed onto the stage and looked at her drama students sternly. "It has to be perfect. And when I say perfect, I really mean it." Pause. "You understand?"

"Yes, Ms. Darbus," said everyone in a chorus. They didn't hate their drama teacher, some kids even admired her, but when musicals were drawing near, nobody could stand her mood.

"Ah, my wonderful chorus. Now, somewhere over here…" She looked around and started to hyperventilate, putting on and taking off her glasses like a robot out of control. "Where is my list? Who stole it? If the damned basketball team has anything to do with it, I swear I—"

Everyone shut up when they saw Kelsi Nielsen stand up and walk directly to Ms. Darbus. No one ever interrupted her nor stood in the middle of her class before. "Here."

Ms. Darbus shook a little bit, but stopped it. "What were you doing with it?"

"You gave it to me with the music sheets," she said in a small voice.

"Thanks, piano girl." Ms. Darbus put on her glasses again. "I hope you don't have anything to do with the basketball team."

"Are you kidding?" said one of the boys in the first row. "That girl and sport? Ha. They have nothing to do, Ms. Darbus." He wasn't the only one laughing.

"Sit down, Ryan," Sharpay ordered his twin brother. Reluctantly, Ryan obeyed, but kept watching the scene. He didn't think it was so funny.

Kelsi stood there, looking at the ground with embarrassment. She told herself she shouldn't worry anymore about them. They barely knew her. No one really did.

"Okay, okay, very funny, Mr. Thompson," said Ms. Darbus. "Now, make silence. I will read out loud the eligible ones for auditioning. Sharpay Evans, obviously, my little diva." Her voice was full of pride. "Seventeen musicals in a row. Except for winter musical last year, of course."

Sharpay looked sideways at Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, who had starred in the last musical, keeping Sharpay out of the way, along with…

"Ryan Evans. Of course, my little prince of acting." Ms. Darbus was also very fond of this blond guy.

Sharpay stood up and bowed, and Ryan imitated her. Everyone at the Drama Club clapped without enthusiasm.

"Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton, our last musical's big stars; Jason Cross, Taylor McKessie. Chad Danforth." She almost spit when she said his name. Chad stood up and raised a hand, calling the applause. This time people were more enthusiast. "Sit down, Danforth. Also Martha Cox—"

"What did I do?" screamed Martha, who wasn't paying attention and suddenly heard her name.

"You were chosen for an audition. For the musical. This fall."

"Oh. Right."

A lot of people were laughing at that, but Martha didn't care. She was already talking again with the girl who sat by her.

"Danielle Adkinson and Henry Thompson." Ms. Darbus continued reading until she got to the end of the list. Twenty people were chosen to audition.

"And how many characters will there be?" asked Gabriella.

"Well…" Ms. Darbus looked at her papers and remained silent.

"Seven," said Kelsi.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing." She looked at the ground and waited until the woman forgot what had just happened.

"I think there are seven characters, Ms. Darbus," said Sharpay.

"Oh, here I found it. Yes, you're right, Sharpay."

"And what play are we doing this time?" asked Chad. "The last one was lame."

Some of the students agreed, and Ms. Darbus looked at Kelsi in the eyes for the first time. The girl looked away, embarrassed. Again.

"I'm not telling you what the play is about until I have the cast." Ms. Darbus looked at Chad sternly. "Do not try to bully our piano girl until she tells you."

"Our what?"

"So, I'll call you during the week to audition," said the teacher, ignoring him. "Boys from the basketball team, I really don't care if you've got ball sessions at that time—"

"Training," said Troy. "It's called training." Chad, Jason and Michael nodded, rather offended for calling their basketball training "ball sessions".

"Whatever. I don't care what your father calls it, Bolton, and I don't care if he needs his sweaty players. Either you come when I tell you, or I'll find someone else to take your place."

"And the girls from the Chemistry thing," said Sharpay, standing on her chair, "please don't arrive late. Punctuality is absolutely necessary in theater. It's a basic. Sulfur and mercurious and those things can wait. We don't care."

"Mercury," said Taylor, looking sideways at Gabriella, who was laughing. "It's called mercury."

"I said. We. Don't. Care."

"Man," said Chad to Troy. "She's turning into a mini-Darbus."

"Watch out, Danforth." Ms. Darbus had a perfect hearing when she wanted to. "Because I'm watching you."

The bell rang, and everybody hurried to the door. The selected ones were cheerfully talking about their possibilities, and the ones who were left out looked hungrily at the basketball players, hoping they wouldn't make it to the audition.

"Piano girl."

Kelsi looked at the teacher. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Revise this song. Minnie shouldn't be saying this. And I don't like the last four notes. Change it and bring it to me tomorrow."

"But I—" She had put so much effort on this, and now Darbus simply 'didn't like it'. She sighed. "Okay. I'll do it."

"I knew you would. And I want you here for the auditions."

"Every one of them?"

Ms. Darbus nodded. "Is that a problem?"

"No."

"I love your predisposition. You're always wanting to do things. See you tomorrow, piano girl."

She packed her music sheets into her bag and without looking back said, "Goodbye Ms. Darbus."


	3. Auditions

**Chapter two: Auditions**

Kelsi stayed every day of that week with Ms. Darbus during breaks, lunch, after classes… She played the piano in every audition, and each of them included eight minutes of voice prep, three different songs —two of last year's musical, one of personal choice— that took more or less fifteen minutes, and a grand finale song with Ms. Darbus if they did it right.

Although every audition didn't take longer than a half hour, Kelsi was always exhausted at the end. Some of her classmates were terrible at singing, and Kelsi wondered how bad were the ones who didn't make it to the audition. That made her shiver.

"Only two students left," she told to herself.

"The best comes at the end. Always." Ms. Darbus looked at her papers to make tension, as if anyone apart from Kelsi was seeing her. "Sharpay and Ryan Evans!"

Both twins entered almost jumping. Sharpay couldn't be wearing more glitter. Her lips were a shiny pink line, her top was as golden and brilliant as the sun, and not in a good way—in a blinding way. Kelsi didn't dare to look at her skirt in case she lost her sight again. Perhaps it would be easier to survive the audition taking off her glasses.

Ryan had a bright silver hat, but the rest of his outfit was calm: white pants, light blue shirt. And tap shoes.

"My two lovely singing doves," said Ms. Darbus. "Amaze me."

Kelsi rolled her eyes, and looked away when she noticed she had been caught by Ryan, who seemed perplexed.

Ms. Darbus let them both prepare their voice, and fortunately Kelsi only had to hear them singing scales for four minutes. They were so amazing for the drama teacher, that she said they needed half the time.

"Piano girl, take it." Sharpay gave her the music sheet of Breaking Free. Kelsi remembered Troy and Gabriella's version last year, and she thought it would be impossible to enjoy a cover of it. Because that's how it felt: it was their song, sung by amateurs. Sharpay and Ryan weren't bad at singing, they were actually pretty good at it. But they weren't a love couple, they were brother and sister, and there need to be passion and desire in their voice. And that was the blond twins lacked.

"Start playing," said Sharpay, tapping her high heels against the floor. Obviously, they were also full of glitter.

Kelsi let her fingers flow over the keys, and the music almost made her forget Sharpay's loud and high notes. After two more songs, and the grand finale with choreography with Ms. Darbus, it was over.

"Perfect, just perfect!" The teacher was clapping like crazy. "Now, let's see if you make it to the leads."

The three of them looked at each other, and then burst out laughing.

"Very funny, Ms. Darbus."

The woman scribbled some notes on her sheets of paper and then put them in a folder with the music sheets. Then she got out with both of her favorite students, probably to have some coffee. Kelsi was relieved that at least they didn't tell her to bring them the coffee.

She packed her things, but when she was leaving the auditorium, she stopped. She felt the piano calling her. It was strange, but true, like the day she first played a song on a keyboard. Everything she played this week wasn't what she liked, it was forced, not natural. And piano playing was her therapy.

Sharpay, Ryan and Ms. Darbus weren't likely to come back soon, but she checked the hallway anyway. Empty. Deserted. No one stayed this late at school unless they were at the Chemistry Lab, like Gabriella and Taylor, or had to audition—and auditions were over, and the Lab was far away from the auditorium.

She dropped her bag and ran to the seat in front of the piano. She stopped, took a deep breath, and let the fingers go freely, without sticking to any notes composed by anyone, not even by her, as Breaking Free was. She played and played until her back ached. You couldn't rest your back on anything on that seat, and you had to move to the sides and backward and forward and then again to the sides to play it correctly.

She stopped, letting that last note sound and fill the emptiness of the auditorium.

"Whoa," said Troy. "You're so good, Kelsi."

"Where did you come from?"

He pointed the open door. "I don't like climbing windows that much."

"But what are you doing here?"

"My dad had to talk with the principal. Basketball stuff. And by the way I decided to wait for Gabriella. She's in Chemistry, you know."

"Yes. She's a genius."

"A freaking genius, yeah. What's that?" He pointed at the folder on the table.

"Oh, gosh, I almost forgot it." She took the folder and Troy gave her the backpack. "Thanks. They're just music sheets."

"Darbus always gives you something to do?" She nodded. "And don't you hate her for that?" Now she shrugged. "No words?" She shook her head. And then, both of them laughed. "I don't know why people don't get it. You're cool. Actually cool."

"Mmm… Yeah, I don't think so. But thanks for the compliment, anyway."

"Hey, Kelsi… would you mind practicing a little bit with me? You know, I think I got a role, but I can always be better at it…"

He's using me, she thought. It was so obvious. Why else would he say good things about me just before asking me a favor?

"I-I'm sorry, Troy, but I gotta go. I'm late. And tired."

"Oh, it's okay. You want me to walk with you to the stop?"

"No, thanks. I can go on my own."

Kelsi put the folder in her backpack just in time. Sharpay and Ms. Darbus were back, followed closely by Ryan, whose hat was falling due to the speed.

"Troy! What a wonderful surprise you prepared for me!" Sharpay ran to his arms and smiled. "You're still here, piano girl?"

"Yes."

"Yes, Ms. Evans," she corrected.

"Yes, Ms. Evans," Kelsi repeated monotoned.

"Isn't she adorable?" Sharpay squeaked. "Hey, now that we're all together, wouldn't it be great to come to my house and practice?"

"Practice what?" said Troy. "We don't have secured places in the play."

"Come on," said Sharpay. "We all know I got a place."

"Well, I guess I got a part, too," said Troy. "But if I don't… And, even if I was sure about it, I wouldn't know which role to practice."

"I have to close!" announced Ms. Darbus from the hallway. "Get out, my singing doves."

Sharpay sighed. "This isn't over. We have to make a great rehearsal at home before the dress rehearsal here. Promise?"

Troy doubted a second, and then said, "Promise."

Sharpay's smile was sickeningly white and big, and shine almost more than her outfit.

"Tell Gabriella I wish her luck next Tuesday," Kelsi said. "At Harvard Chemistry Awards," she added when she saw Troy didn't get it.

"Oh. Yeah." He seemed to come back to himself and took a step back from Sharpay. "I will."

"I have to close! Out, out. Stop working so hard, Sharpay. You should learn from her."

Ms. Darbus was talking to all of them, but Kelsi's temper rose anyway. She was tired of people depreciating her work.

"I have to go. Now."

"Okay," said Troy. "See you around, Kelsi."

"'Bye, piano girl." Sharpay waved enthusiastically at her.

Kelsi rolled her eyes and walked to the bus stop. In the way back home, she fell asleep and missed her stop.


	4. A day off

**Chapter three**

"Kel? Are you sleeping?"

"Not anymore." Kelsi pulled up the covers to block the light and rubbed her eyes. "Mom, you made me forget what I was dreaming."

"Sorry, sweetie." Mrs. Nielsen sat on the edge of the bed. "Eddie just called."

"At three a.m.?" she freaked out, watching her alarm clock. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's nine in the morning. We were out of energy at night and all the clocks stopped. Don't you remember?"

She shook her head. "I guess I was too tired to notice that. Sleeping in the bus always gives me headaches, and helping with the auditions the whole week isn't exactly relaxing."

"You're so stressed, sweetie." She stroke her arm gently. "You need some rest."

"Never mind that, mom. What did he want? Eddie, I mean."

"He canceled today's lesson. I think he had to do some banking stuff. Nothing to worry about."

"So you didn't cancel it so I got some rest, or did you?"

"Sometimes I think you don't know me well."

"Oh, dammit, then. I wanted so bad to play something in a piano that isn't the school's one. I think I don't wanna see the auditorium's piano again." She sighed. "But I guess it ain't so bad to rest a little."

Mrs. Nielsen kissed her forehead and messed up her curly hair. "C'mon. I'll make you breakfast. Do you want your cereal with or without milk?"

While she was having breakfast, she wondered what to do on this unexpectedly free Saturday. She usually didn't have much time during the week to practice for Eddie's lessons, but now she wasn't going to Eddie's until the following Saturday. Mrs. Nielsen couldn't afford to buy a piano for their house, nor did they have the space for it, but Kelsi had earned some money and had bought herself a keyboard. She had it in her room and played on it every day. Except today.

Her mom sat next to her and ate some of her cereal.

"Hey!"

"I'm starving, baby. That diet is the worst thing in the world."

"Now I understand why you insisted with preparing it yourself."

"Hey, why don't you call one of your friends and tell them to come here?" Kelsi opened her eyes with horror. "I can go somewhere else if I embarrass you," added her mom. "Just tell me."

"No, no, that's not the problem. You're fine."

"Hmm. So what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired."

"You slept twelve hours straight. You can't be possibly tired."

"No, but I'm hungry, because my mother goes on stupid diets starving herself to death and then steals her daughter's breakfast."

Mrs. Nielsen laughed while she stood up to prepare something else to eat.

After three hours of watching TV, Kelsi started feeling guilty. She usually didn't have time for helping her mom because of school and piano lessons and song-writing and everything. And now that she had a day free, a day off duties, she was wasting it watching that old TV show she had seen many times before. She even knew the actors' lines by heart.

Just when she reached for the remote control for a quick zapping before shutting it down, her phone buzzed. Kelsi froze. Who could it possibly be? The only ones who were likely to call her were her mother, who was in the room next door, and Eddie, who had called early that morning.

"Won't you answer?" said her mom from the laundry room. "Then decline! I can hear it from here! Even the washing machine is quieter than your phone!"

"'Kay," she shouted. She reached for her phone. Gabriella. There was even a picture of the girl, smiling at her. She pressed the green button. "Hi?"

"Kelsi! Is it you?"

"Yes."

"Of course it's her," said a voice that sounded far away. Troy's.

"It could be a freaking thief that took her phone, you smart guy," said another voice from the other side of the line. Taylor. "Or even a raper who has her tied up."

"Pluto's right," said Gabriella.

"I'm still here," said Kelsi.

"Oh, right. Sorry. You know, these two are really distracting. Ain't you coming?"

"Where?"

"To the auditorium, of course!"

"Maybe they didn't tell her." She heard footsteps, and then—"HEY, KELSI! I'M TROY—TROY BOLTON, FROM THE WILDCATS. YOU KNOW, THE GOOD-LOOKING ONE. BLOND. CUTE, ALTHOUGH HE DOESN'T LIKE TO ADMIT IT."

"Make it short," said Taylor from afar.

"OKAY. DID THEY TELL YOU?"

"We're using a phone," said Gabriella. "And. It's. Got. Speakers. Shh."

"No. No one told me, if you're referring to going there," said Kelsi.

"How strange."

"Make it short," said Taylor again. "Gimme. Hi, girl. Come now to school, we're in the auditorium. Darbus is announcing the casting at two."

Kelsi checked her alarm clock, but it still showed three a.m. As if she were seeing her, Taylor said, "As in, twenty minutes. RUN RUN RUN."

"See you!" said Gabriella, too far from the speakers. And then the call was off.


	5. You rat--er, Mouse!

**Chapter five: You rat—er, Mouse!**

It had taken Ms. Darbus so long to read the names and their roles that there wasn't much time left for anything. Sharpay took the last few minutes of the class and gave a speech most of them found ridiculous and boring. And then the bell rang, for everyone's relief.

"Finally," Taylor sighed. "I couldn't listen to that babbling anymore."

"I think it was encouraging," said Jason with dreamy eyes. "Sharpay is so good."

"Whatever," said Taylor, and turned to Gabriella. "This can't be true. Sharpay manipulated the list, or Ms. Darbus, to put her on the lead and make me be Pluto. I mean, Pluto!"

"At least it's clear that Pluto is a dog," said Gabriella. "No one is sure if Goofy is a dog or a cow or a—"

"Girls," said someone dramatically behind them. Sharpay was there, wearing a pink shirt with polka dots on it. She had also a pink hair bow. "Girls girls girls girls. You ought to be delighted and grateful to have roles in our musical!" she squeaked. "I don't complain about it."

"Could it be because you got the lead?"

"I always get what I want. Check it out, I'm Minnie Mouse!"

"Great," said Ryan behind her. "I'm so happy for you, Sharpie." He was really angry, but Sharpay wasn't going to let him ruin her happiness.

"I know!" she said.

"But shouldn't the color be red? Minnie originally doesn't wear pink," pointed out Gabriella.

"But I am Minnie now, and I like pink. Rosa."

Taylor shrugged. "At least you like being a rat. Er—mouse."

Gabriella and Taylor laughed, and Ryan chuckled.

"You're just jealous, McKessie," said Sharpay. "Like everyone else. Oh, why was I born with such enchantment and talent? With such beauty! Oh." She turned around. "Ryan, come on!" She walked through the corridor like she was modeling, her head up and her everything bouncing.

"You were right, Tay. She's a rat," whispered Gabriella, and both girls ran to the toilets, leaving Ryan alone. He sighed, and then he followed his sister. Like always, he was the not-selected one.

**Hi guys, don't forget to follow and comment, I really want to know what you think of Rehearsals so far.**

**XOXO,**

**Lucy aka Madame Weasley.**


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